Curious about dating apps such as Tinder and OkCupid? Here's a comprehensive guide to dating and meeting someone new while staying home
Lockdowns and quarantines happening around the world may be putting a toll on couples living separately, but the online dating scene for singles appears to be more vibrant than ever.
With the majority of the population stuck indoors, the only place to go for companionship is online—where socially-starved singles may be more likely to swipe right.
If you’re new to online dating, we’ve got you covered—here’s a guide to dating in the age of coronavirus.
See also: How To Keep In Touch In A Time Of Social Distancing
Find your match
With so many dating apps on the market, where should you find love? According to a report published in February by mobile analytics platform App Annie, the top dating apps amongst consumers are Tinder, Coffee Meets Bagel, OkCupid, Tantan, and iDates, respectively. The perks of using a popular app are that you’re ensured a bigger pool of potential dates to choose from, and these brands also tend to update their app more frequently for better usability and security.
The OG dating app that has made swiping a natural process of online dating—Tinder matches you with dates based on proximity. However, during this Covid-19 pandemic, the app has given users to option to swipe around the world for free with the Passport feature, previously only accessible for paying users. Other similar location-based apps include Tinder’s Asian counterpart Tantan, which has been growing wildly popular, as well as iDates.
If you’re looking for a stronger connection however, Coffee Meets Bagel touts itself as an app for slow dating. To eliminate “swipe fatigue”, the app introduces a selection of people daily under the suggested section, and fine-tunes its algorithm with each like or pass in order to find you the best potential match. The app has even started organising Coffee Talks—small-group video chats to connect users based on age and location.
On the other hand, OkCupid matches singles based on a comprehensive survey on your opinions towards topics like politics, religion, financial debt and more, and what you expect from your match. A compatibility percentage is then displayed on the profile of your potential dates.
See also: A Matchmaker's Guide To Online Dating